Never cry wolf
by TiggerMusica
Summary: Winter's coming fast this year. So Lightning sets off to see her sister before the snow hits. However the enchanting woods may not be as peaceful as they seem. And evil may lurk in any guise.
1. To Serah's house we go

**Wow this summary sucked. O_o **

**But i couldnt think of anything better. Oh well.**

**If you know the little red riding hood story you pretty much know the basic outline so ... yeah. I'm not going to question the logic of my summary to much. It's late and i'll just end up hurting my brain. Moving on.**

**This was a multi chap story I was thinking about. I'm playing it by ear a little. And it's been so long since I've actually worked on a multi. chap. I can't honestly say that I'm up for the challenge just yet. However as you can tell I'm gonna try. XD**

**So without further ado. **

**Never cry wolf chap. 1 **

**To Serah's house we go**

It was a cool, brisk day when Lightning set out. The sun glaring brightly down as a cool wind nipped gently at her cheeks. Her azure blue eyes looking determinedly ahead as she passed through the village square. A few voices called out to greet her as she went by. She curtly nodded at them but didn't answer back. Stopping only briefly at the local water well to fill up her canteen before moving on.

After a few minutes the forest came into view. It was deep and thick with different types of trees of every shape and color. The leaves and blossoms where just starting to turn brown. A sure sign that winter was coming soon. Just in the middle of the tree line lay a small dirt path. Shaded by a large weeping willow and a beautifully colored cherry tree. Lightning stopped; taking a second to admire the view. If she didn't know any better it would almost be enchanting.

Then the wind picked up, a bit harder this time. With a soft grunt she pulled the hood of her cape tightly over her head; hiding her soft pink hair. The cape itself was thick and red. The outside made up of expensive smooth silk while the inside was stuffed with wool to absorb warmth. It was a gift from her sister, Serah. Though it was a peace offering more than anything. A silent thank you for not killing that idiotic husband of hers, Snow, on the day he proposed. Serah had given it to her the day she moved out of the home their parents had left them in their will. _'To keep you warm in the winter,' _she said. She was always worrying too much about Lightning. As long as Serah was safe and happy than Lightning could be too. Though; the more and more she thought about it she really should have done away with that no brained ax-man called Snow…

And now word had reached the town that Serah had come down with a cold. Nothing bad but Lightning knew that lunk head wouldn't know how to properly take care of her. Within the next week or two the path to their cabin would be inaccessible do to winters first snow. And as the place plunged deeper into winter the worse things would get. The sisters would be cut off from each other for months for the first time in their lives. So Lightning packed a wicker basket full of sweets that she had bought from the baker- stuffing a few medical herbs in the side- and was going to see her sister before it was too late.

With a sigh Lightning was off again. Keeping a fast steady pace as she made her way onto the dirt road. Her eyes darting warily around, keeping an eye out for any rustling within the bushes. The palm of her right hand resting on the hilt of a silver saber looped to her belt by a strong piece of leather. The cabin was about a days length away. The plan was to make it there and back before the first winter storm hit.

However the trip itself was not going to be easy. She had gone into the forest many times before but she was never so stupid as to stray so that the village was not in sight. Though the birds chirped merrily in a false lull of security she knew what could be waiting in the darkened shadows of the forest. What could be prowling behind the bushes. Bears and cougars as well as other wild animals have been known to snatch up a traveler or two.

And other things that are much worse…

Lightning could still hear the voice of the village elder warning them not to play in the forest when they were little. Pounding it into their heads. Her old, rickety voice always crooning on about dark; wicked things…

**You best listen little girls and boys;**

She once said.

**This is more important than your curls and toys;**

**For a dead man tells no tale,**

**And you must never wander off the trail,**

**To a wolf you must have no ties,**

**For their skin is only a clever disguise,**

**And though their charm might have a tang,**

**You must never forget the fang,**

**Never fall into those eyes,**

**The color of shining fireflies,**

**Or the songs so soft and sweet,**

**It is how they lure their meat,**

**They like their victims soft and pretty,**

**Oh, these merciless creatures who show no pity,**

**Heed the old stories meant to scare children in the night,**

**For it is the wolf inside that you should fear the bite,**

The men in her village always joked about the stories they where told as children. Laughing and jabbering on about how they couldn't believe they fell for those 'old wives tales.' They put on a brave front in front of the women; promising to 'protect' them from the 'monsters.' But Lightning could see the fear hidden within their eyes; could hear the nervousness that lay just behind their fake laughter. And no one would laugh when a corpse was brought in. The bodies mauled and even partially eaten sometimes. Though no one would say it out loud it was no secret that no cougar could leave marks like that. And not even a bear could tear something apart so ferociously … and so effortlessly.

Even that giant bull of a man Snow would mummer something about seeing strange shadows and gleaming eyes outside of the cabin sometimes at night before promptly changing the subject. To uncomfortable to speak about it for long.

Lightning paused to peer into the dark forest; searching. Then picked up the pace into almost a jog. She had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, and her gut feelings were almost never wrong. Whatever it was there was no denying that it was somewhere in the forest. And it grew big, and strong, and fast, and smart. It was clever enough to rip a whole caravan apart without leaving a single trace that it was there. Sometimes an attack would happen and then everything would be quiet for years. Gone, as if it never existed.

Suddenly the bushes rustled harshly to Lightning's left. She stopped; throwing down her basket and practically ripped her saber off of her belt. Poising it to her lower right side to make a swift upper strike. A flash of white shot out of the bushes, coming straight at her. With no hesitation she struck the blade upwards just as the thing was above her head.

_The air was full of sweet smells. Of chocolate, and cinnamon, and dough, and sugar, and caramel. It almost masked the scent of human and the faint touch roses. The ground passed quickly as a deep growling echoed into the shadows of the forest. It was joined by the heavy thudding of paws. The leaves flew up into the air at the disturbance before settling down as if nothing ever happened. Then the heavy rustle of the bushes and the feeling of air. And a sudden streak of silver rising up from the ground._

There was a loud yelp as the sharp blade cut through something. Meeting a hard resistance at first but then going through it like butter. Lightning stood there, shocked as a thick, warm liquid splattered across her face. The body landed behind her with a hard "thunk." Sprawled halfway on the path and unmoving.

After a second Lightning's hand moved to wipe her face off. Coming back covered in deep red blood. It was dripping down the blade of her sword as well. Staining the ground with maroon red. Then she slowly turned to inspect the body. As she stiffly bent down to touch it a feral snarl ripped through the air making her jump back in surprise. The beast lurched itself onto all fours and bounded off. It got a few feet away before it tripped up and rolled. With another pained yelp it clawed its way over to a tree trunk before turning back to growl threateningly back at her.

Lightning, however, could only stare dumbfounded at what she saw before her.

It was a boy. No more than seventeen. Wearing only a pair of short black pants, a green bandana around his neck, and an orange jacket. His thick white hair falling messily around his face. His eyes a mint green and shining brightly; like a jar of fireflies in the dark. But perhaps what was the most amazing was the large fluffy white tail sticking out of his back and two big wolf ears pointing upwards out of his white hair.

He looked half starved. His left arm was split wide open and was bleeding profusely. And his lips pulled back to reveal a set of large, wicked looking fangs.

Lightning didn't know what to make of it.

**I've read through this a few times but my spell check is nearly as old as I am. So if you see a mistake point out where it is and I'll try to fix it as soon as I can.**

**On other note I was going to leave it a cliff hanger at the word 'unmoving' but I decided against it. I didn't want to chance getting maimed.**

**That's pretty much it except for the fact that there is a 99.9% chance that I will eventually slack off on this. If it's been a while (give it two or three weeks) and I still haven't updated feel free to leave some obnoxious post about how I'm lazy. I can sometimes put things off until eventually I forget about them so seeing something like that will jog my brain and I'll get back to work. O_o **


	2. Of apples and gravity

**Yeah finally got it up! And i thought of a new summary!**

**Lets party! A TEA PARTY ... with GUMMIE BEARS! ... yeah **

**(its 5:00 am)**

**The reason why it took so long to get this up was because i wanted to post two chaps at the same time...**

**DON'T QUESTION MY LOGIC!**

**...Well that and i had writers block for a bit... and the fact that i was slacking off ...and ...**

**Lets just get to the story!**

**Never Cry Wolf**

**Chap. 2**

**Of gravity and apples**

Minutes passed and still Lightning could only stand there. Looking at the boy pressed up against the apple tree. He … it... seemed so human. And yet- another snarl ripped from the boy's mouth and echoed on the trees. Its bright eyes savage, with no hint of reasoning within them. Its jaws clacked shut in warning.

Lightning snorted, disgusted at both her hesitance and the foul creature before her.

Whatever it was it was clearly not human. It was a _thing;_ a monster that hid beneath the appearance of a boy. The only mercy that should be shown is a quick strike through the heart. Putting it out of its miserable existence would be more of an act of kindness than anything.

'_It has to be destroyed,' _her logical mind thought. And yet, all she could see was a bleeding half starved boy. _'It doesn't have to be cruel. It can be quick and painless__**. **__But it has to be done,' _she tried to reason.

With a huff she clutched her saber in her left hand and took a step forward.

And then he was coming at her.

Faster than Lightning thought possible the beast rammed into her, sending her toppling. Her head bounced as it cracked against the forest floor. She silently gasped in pain as black spots blurred her vision. Then with another snarl the beast was upon her. Reflexively she paralleled the sword with his body and harshly pushed up to prevent him from coming closer without gutting himself. The blade sunk slightly into his skin making him grunt in pain and flinch back.

She forced the saber to dig into its skin again, trying to force him further away. The beast roared in furry and grabbed at the hilt. Trying to drive the sword back down and gain ground but Lightning's grip held strong.

Its massive fangs snapped shut with the force of a steel bear trap just inches from her face. And Lightning couldn't help but think for a split second of what would happen if the blade hadn't been planted between them.

The grizzly thought sparked a sudden surge of energy within her. With a yell she shoved the saber up until it sliced through his abdomen.

It yelped in pain and threw itself off of her. Retreating back to the apple tree. His body sliding against the rough bark before crumbling to the ground.

Slowly Lightning got up. Using her sword as a crutch to help her to her feet. Groaning softly as her head thrummed at the movement. She reached behind and felt the back of her skull. There was a nasty lump but nothing more. Satisfied it wasn't serious she quickly turned her gaze back to the boy collapsed under the tree.

Fresh blood flowed freely from his stomach and chest. The wounds seemed to smoke and sizzle as the beast struggled for breath. He cringed in pain at the slight movement of his chest and whined softly like a beaten puppy.

Though she was sure the wounds weren't fatal it was plain to see it had unexpected effects. The boy let out another pitiful whine and grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut.

However Lightning no longer felt any sympathy. Her mind kept replaying his jaws snapping at her with a deadly intent.

**You must never forget the fang.**

Kept thinking of how those incisors would've sliced through the soft skin of her throat with ease… or just ripped off her face entirely.

**Their skin is only a clever disguise.**

The elder was right. This was no boy. It was a demon spat out from the bowls of hell. Now its illusion was broken and she was able to see the creature for what it really was.

With swift steady steps Lightning made her way over to the beast. Her saber poised for a quick strike in case it came at her again. As she approached its head shot up. A growl rose from its lips but it was a weak sound, lacking any real threat. The beast squirmed and tried to get up but its legs buckled and it fell back to the ground.

A second later Lightning's thick brown boot slammed into his shoulder, pinning him where he lay. There was no hesitation as she took her sword in both hands and raised it above her head for the final blow.

With a yelp the boy weakly clawed at her boot before clutching it tightly like a lifeline. His breaths becoming frantic and painfully short. Lightning chanced a glance into his watery tea green eyes.

_It burned. Oh maker it hurt. Warm sticky blood ran down his torso before wetting the ground. He wiggled in a helpless attempt to lessen the pain. The sound of footsteps reached his ears. She was coming again. He looked at her and growled; though if anything it came out more of a whimper. Why couldn't the human just leave him alone? Why was she so determined to hurt him? He wanted nothing to do with her! He never did! _

_The scent of his own blood filled the air, nearly making him gag as he half heartedly tried to get back up. Only to fall back to the ground, face first, when his legs failed to support the weight. Then the human's foot smashed into his shoulder, trapping him against the earth. He let out a soft cry at the sheer brutality of the action. The woman raised her sword into the air and he knew what was coming next. He had seen it happen before. Maker why won't she just go away and take that damned basket with her!_

_Tears of fear and frustration brimmed in his eyes making his vision misty. Feebly, he tried to sink his claws into the leather boot but the movement hurt. It stung as a fresh wave of blood seeped from the wounds. Bubbling like acid for a second as it touched the air before rolling down his side. Soon he gave up and squeezed the boot as tight as his hand would let him. Closing his eyes so he wouldn't see the blade come down on him._

_But he didn't want to die! HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE! He choked on a whimper as he began to hyperventilate. His chest aching at the action but he didn't care. It wasn't supposed to happen like this! He wasn't supposed to die like this!_

_Trembling with fear he looked up into hard Cerulean blue eyes._

Lightning stood there. Her face expressionless as she contemplated on what to do. The creature was crying. Tears soaked its cheeks as it waited for her to pass judgment. Waited for her saber to plunge down into his chest. Fear shined clearly in those mint green eyes as he silently begged for her mercy.

**Never fall into those eyes, The color of shining fireflies.**

But it wasn't really a boy.

She could feel him tremble slightly beneath her boot.

This was a blood crazed fiend..a demon … wasn't it?

They stayed like that for a time. Just looking at each other. Each not daring to move; not knowing what to do next. Until a small force of nature changed everything. Gravity. There was the soft snap of a tree stem as it gave in and a bright, golden colored apple clunked Lightning square in the head.

And then everything stopped.

The adrenaline that pumped through Lightning's veins dissipated instantly. She couldn't kill him. Not like this. Lowering her sword she slowly stepped off the boy, allowing him up.

The boy hesitantly tried to get back on his feet but she stopped him. Her sword striking out, slicing through the hard bark of the tree effortlessly. Just centimeters from giving his fuzzy white hair a shave- and taking the fluffy ears with it.

"Try anything and next time you won't be so lucky," Lightning sneered before sliding her saber back into its loop on her belt.

The white haired youth scrambled away as fast as his injured body could carry him. Quickly putting a healthy distance between them before turning back to watch her. His eyes narrowed with wary suspicion as she went to pick up the forgotten cargo.

Lightning sighed as she picked up the basket. Already the sky was turning red as the sun began to set. How long had she been there? She had lost track of time. And to make things worse she didn't know how much father the cabin was. Which way was she suppose to go? She looked at the weaving dirt road colorfully spotted with falling tree blossoms. In the end it all looked the same. There was no stand out land markings to help her navigate. No way of telling where she was or which way to go.

And she was running out of time. The forest was dangerous during the day but it was deadly at night. No fool in their right mind would be caught in this forest- on the path or not- at night. Even the bravest of caravans avoided these roads like the black plague when the evening rolled around. And Lightning could only imagine what slunk around in the dark.

**You must never wander off the trail.**

The scratchy voice echoed in her head. Without meaning to she broke the rule. The fight had pushed her off the beaten path and distracted her. Now she was lost.

Lightning looked at the boy and then back at the path. And in a split second made a decision. She would have to find a place to rest and get her bearings straight tomorrow. There was no way she could make it to Serah's in the dark. But in order to do that she would have to leave the path again. And she would need help to find her way in this organic maze. It would be risky, but right now it was her best bet.

**To a wolf you must have no ties.**

The voice rang in her head again. This time she promptly ignored it.

"You can understand me?" Lightning asked as she turned to look back at the boy.

The boys eyes narrowed even more; into little green slits. Making it clear that he could understand; and that he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Then I'll get straight to the point," Lightning said, "I need to find somewhere safe for the night and fast. You ARE going to help me." There was no room for argument.

The wolf glared at her but noticeably bit back another snarl. At this she couldn't help but inwardly smile. He was a fast learner.

With her free hand she reached into the wicker basket and pulled out a few of the medical herbs she brought. Waving them in front of her so that he could see them clearly.

"Your injures look painful. If you help me I'll patch you up. " She said bluntly, but her words had an edge of taunting to get her point across: _I got what you want._

The boy looked at her for a minute; contemplating what to do. Finally he stiffly rose on his two feet and began to limp back across the road to the other side of the forest. Stopping just before the bushes to beckon Lightning to follow him.

Lightning stuffed the herbs back into the basket with a triumphant smirk before quickly catching up with the boy. They stared at each other for a second before leaving the path all together.

The girl falling closely behind as the wolf led the way.

**As usual there is probably a million spelling errors in this story so pin point them out for me and ill fix them as soon as I can. That's all for this chap. XD**

**PS: i couldnt think of a better name for this chapter;**

**sorry all you ppl who were counting on an awsome chapter name**

**I let you down.**


	3. Looli, looli, lailay

**Yeah.. i got nothing else..**

**Never Cry Wolf**

**Chap. 3**

_**Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.**_

They had been walking through the forest for at least an hour. The wolf boy disappearing in the tall undergrowth before popping up a few feet away. Lightning was never far behind. Keeping pace with him easily. They stopped once when the boy's ears suddenly pricked upwards. His nose flared as he glanced around slowly before singling out a near by bush. Lightning's right hand rested on her saber uneasily as he slowly bent down into a pouncing stance. A sudden "SMACK" echoed through the forest as the wolf clasped his hands together faster than she thought was possible. Trapping something in between his claws. Curiously Lightning leaned in to inspect his hands closer. Her keen eyes catching a small dot- just barley noticeable- crushed between his two pointer fingers. A flea. The boy snickered victoriously She couldn't help but let out a small smirk at the joyous expression on his face. After a quick admiration of his handy work they pushed forward

It was nearly dark now. The bright colors of twilight had settled into a dusty grey. They still trudged onward but now the youth was slowing down. And every once in a while she could hear faint whimpering. His wounds were taking a toll on him.

Luckily not to long after the forest broke into a rocky mountain side. Below lay a meadow with a small stream making it way from further up the mountain and cutting straight through the small meadow. Wild flowers sprouted everywhere, dotting the place with both dark and florescent colors.

The boy nudged Lightning gently then pointed upwards. Just a little further up was the mouth of a huge cave face. The wolf dropped to all fours and bounded to the entrance with Lightning nipping at his heels, leaping from rock to rock.

The opening was wide, enough to fit six people in there comfortably. And it was deep enough so that the back was covered in shadows. Flowers bloomed around the entrance as vibrant and red as a wildfire. A pile of thick branches lay in the middle of the entrance next to a flint rock and a hunk of steel. A large pile of leaves and grass lay not to far off against the wall. It was almost as if someone lived here but everything looked so …fresh.. and unused. Lightning eyes narrowed in thought.

The white haired youth sniffed the air cautiously before dragging himself in and flopping down on the makeshift bedding. While Lightning threw down the basket, folded her cape and carefully set it to the side, and started on a fire. Quickly she peeled off the softer pieces of the wood to make tender before overlapping the twigs and braches over the top. Giving the tender just enough room to breathe as she sparked the fire with the flint and steel. In no time the cave was alight with the warm glow of flame.

She then reached over into her basket for the herbs. Ripping the canteen off her belt she stuffed a few of the herbs into the water and held it safely above the fire until she felt the hide get warm underneath her hand. The rest of them she shoved in her mouth and began to chew.

Getting up Lightning went outside. It was dark now. They had arrived just in time. The full moon was bright in the sky. A few owls whooed into the night as a bullfrog joined in their little number. She bent down and ripped a clump of dirt out of the earth before making her way back inside.

The boy was still right were he fell. Face down in a pile of leaves. With a grunt Lightning nudged him with her boot. The wolf boy groaned in protest but flipped over. His eyes were slightly glazed with fever but still coherent.

Kneeling down beside the boy, she put the dirt and canteen to the side before opening his jacket. It was then that she really got a look at the injuries. They were puffy and hot like they had become infected. A foamy white froth seeped around the edges of the wounds.

Hastily Lightning spit the sticky, chewed up herbs back into her hand. Slathering it on his chest, stomach, and arm. She then reached for the dirt and coated over the same area. Opening her canteen once more she splashed the injures with the water. Making the dirt layer form into a soppy mud before patting it down to create a protective layer over the medicine she applied in the wounds. It wasn't much but it was all she could do for now.

Prying his jaws open she forced the rest of the liquid down his throat. He choked and sputtered for a second on the bitter drink but the rest went down easy. Sighing with relief his head rolled back onto the leafy bed.

"If you can understand me then you can speak," Lightning said suddenly. It wasn't a question.

The boy gulped nervously before slowly nodding his head.

"Then what's your name?" Lightning asked.

His eyes widened for a second before looking away uneasily. Clearly uncomfortable with the thought of talking.

"Spit it out already," Lightning hissed. Her short fuse dangerously close to detonating from all the drama that day.

The boy cringed back at the venom in her voice.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. It was clear she was going to get nowhere by simply yelling at the youth.

"I cant keep calling you boy or wolf can I?" She asked, keep her voice calm and leveled.

Green eyes looked up at her for a moment before darting to the ground. His tail swished against the rocky floor anxiously as a light blush spread across his face.

"H-Hope," A light voice said shyly. For a second Lightning could comprehend that the voice had come from the boy in front of her. She couldn't fathom that such a timid, soft spoken voice belonged to the creature that viciously attacked her just hours ago.

"Lightning," she stated and Hope looked at her curiously.

"So Hope," Lightning began as she dusted her hands of and tied the flask back to her belt, "You mind telling me why you felt the need to attack me back on the path?"

At this the boy scoffed, as if he was severely offended, "You maimed me first."

The shyness that had possessed him just a second ago was gone. Replaced by an irritated, stubborn fire in his mint green eyes.

"You nearly carved me up like a solstice turkey," He grumbled. Lifting up his injured arm to emphasis his point.

"If you wouldn't have tried to ambush me from the bushes that wouldn't have happened," Lightning growled back. How dare he try to turn this back on her like she was the criminal.

"I just wanted the basket," Hope muttered as he looked up at her, hurt, "I didn't want to harm you."

"But you wanted to hurt me. I could smell it on you," he accused.

Lightning was taken aback. Shocked on how true his statement really was. She was so caught up in the fact he attacked her that she didn't stop to think that the reason why was because she was so bent on killing him first.

For the first time she looked him over and saw just how greatly malnourished he was. His ribs were projecting out so much that you could see each one pushing against the unnaturally pale skin. His jacket was much too big for him in this state; like he had lost a lot of muscle mass. And his pants hung loosely about his waist.

Lightning felt a pang of guilt. It was plain to see the boy hadn't had a proper meal in weeks if not months. The smell of the sweets in her basket must have driven him insane. Hungry people make for angry, desperate people. She above anyone should know that. And yet she sliced him open without a seconds thought.

Silently she got up and went to grab the basket. Hope's stomach rumbled as she opened the lid and plucked a sweet roll for herself before offering the rest to him.

"We might as well eat these while their still remotely fresh," was her excuse.

And Hope was all too glad to accept it. Gratitude sparkled in his eyes before he focused on the meal ahead.

And so the night went by. Lightning wrapped tightly in her red cape. Quietly watching from across the fire as Hope wolfed down his food without chewing. She had given up on telling him to slow down before he chokes a while back ago. After a while the warmth finally got to her and she fell asleep.

_**Lay down your head, And I'll sing you a lullaby,**_

_**Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay;**_

_**And I'll sing you to sleep,**_

_**And I'll sing you tomorrow,**_

_**Bless you with love, For the road that you go,**_

Lightning mumbled snuggling into the soft bedding beneath her and sighing in content.

"Sorry did I wake you?" A voice quietly asked.

Lightning opened her eyes to see the most beautiful green fireflies she had ever seen. Their beauty outlined by a slivery white.

"It's just such a beautiful night. I couldn't help myself," Came that soft gentle voice again.

"S'okay," Lightning slurred and she dozed off once more. Her ears unconsciously straining to pick up the melody again.

"I'll try to be quieter," The voice whispered.

Lightning was already to far gone.

_**May you sail fair; To the far fields of fortune,**_

_**With diamonds and pearls; At your head and your feet,**_

_**And may you need never to banish misfortune;**_

_**May you find kindness; in all that you meet,**_

_**May there always be angels; to watch over you,**_

_**To guide you each step of the way,**_

_**To guard you and keep you safe from all harm;**_

_**Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.**_

Hope's howls died out as he finished for the night.

**Or the songs so soft and sweet; it is how they lure their meat.**

Small shimmering flakes began to fall silently through the air and mist the ground white. Winters first snow.

Hope stretched before laying down, just outside the cave, so he could peer down at the meadow and forest. Glancing over his shoulder he smiled gently at the sleeping form of Lightning nestled in the leaves. Her face lit up by the warm glow of the fire. He figured she would be more comfortable there. She had fed him. Taken care of his injuries. And spared him his life when she could have just left him bleeding. Like most humans would have done to his kind.

For that he loved her. He'd protect her.

The snap of a twig made his ears twitch. Immediately his head snapped back to the meadow; searching for the source of the sound. His ears pricked and alert as his nose flared, instinctively searching for a scent it wasn't going to find.

There was nothing at first. Then one by one he saw them appear in the forest. Their glowing yellow eyes staring up at the cave hungrily. Waiting.

**Heed the old stories meant to scare children in the night.**

Hope bristled; baring his fangs. The small hairs on his neck standing on edge as his tail shot straight up in a dominant poise. A viscous snarl ripping from his throat.

Driving the message home: _Back the fuck off!_

**For it is the wolf inside that you should fear the bite.**

**The song used is called Sleepsong by: Secret garden. Its an old irish lullaby. Its a very good song. If you have the time to listen to it i would recommend it. For me it was the perfect song for Hope to sing as Lightning's lullaby.**

**Also i might take time out to do a few Terra/Onion knight one shots. Nothing to keep me away from Hope/Lightning of course. **

**If on the off chance you like that pairing too then you may soon find a few things from me in Dissidia.**

**See an spelling error? Report it to me and it will be fixed. **

**... I really gotta start writing at a better time and not in the am**


	4. Winter's Snow

**Never Cry Wolf Chap. 4**

**Winter's snow**

Slowly the night gave way to the colorful hue of dawn. Then turned to the bright shining rays of morning. The flaming red flowers at the entrance of the cave had frosted over during the night; making them look like delicate stained glass. Lightning had been up with the sun. Sitting on the rocky ledge just outside the cave. Glaring, heatedly, down at the freshly fallen snow. Dragging a slick little stone she found down in the stream earlier up the blade of her saber. In one day her plan had gone from bad, to worse, to hell. Just one day. How was she supposed to get to Serahs now? Or even back home? The weapon was now gleaming from the attention and practically promising ill intent.

The path would be completely covered by now and would be impossible to find. Even the snow had become hazardous with the morning sun melting random patches down creating mini sink holes. It seemed packed enough to walk on but one false step and your in waist deep with a broken ankle. And if that didn't getcha the ice would. She had busted her ass on the slippery rocks twice just going down to the now frozen stream. Lucky it wasn't completely solid and she was able to bust it open with a rock. She found the stone she was using to sharpen her sword by the waters edge and quickly refilled the canteen. Dragging it across the surface by its noose so her hand wouldn't have to touch the freezing water. Then she set back up the slope only to bust her ass one more time and smash her jaw painfully into the rocks; busting her lower lip open and coloring the snow.

That was the last straw.

The meadow and forest were dead silent. Nothing moved. It was a dangerous day to be out. Even the birds who would normally be filling the air with songs had not uttered a peep. It was if they instinctively knew that the slightest thing could set the pink haired woman off; and feared for their lives. Every creature in the vicinity got the memo ... except for the scrawny wolf named Hope who slumbered peacefully on the opposite side of the ledge a few feet away. His soft snoring was the only sound to be heard for miles.

Lightning shot him a glare as he grunted and kicked his leg out in a sudden restlessness before settling back down again. Completely oblivious to the danger.

It was his fault; oh yes. She pulled the rock up the length of the blade once again. The friction making an ominous "hiss" as the silver saber became just a little bit sharper. If he hadn't have shown up she would have been to her sisters when the snow started. Laying in a cozy guest bed and waking up to a steaming hot meal. She should have just taken her chances back on the path and chosen a direction. At least that way she could've been somewhere safe and out of the weather. No, she should've left the boy right were he was; under that damn apple tree. Or at least saved some of the supplies instead of using them all on him in one night. But no! She had to take pity on the bloody wolf!

As if on queue Hope yawned and rolled onto his stomach. Smacking his lips loudly as he blinked away the sleep. None the wiser as Lightning sneered at him once again. Making a tiny little squeaking noise he rose on all fours. Pushing his arms out as far as they could go before running his claws over the rock as they came back. Then stretching his legs out and cracking his bare toes. Finally he shook his head; his white poofy hair flying around him like a sliver mane before he glanced at Lightning and smiled.

"Go'morn'Lightnin," He slurred horribly before letting out another yawn.

She glared back at him making Hope do a double take.

"What's wrong?" He asked, now fully awake.

"What do you think? Everything's frozen over. How am I supposed to get anywhere?" She growled.

"O-oh," He replied, his eyes grew slightly at the realization of her predicament. Cocking his head to the right side for a second in thought before switching and tilting to the left.

"Well where do you want to go?" He asked curiously.

Lightning sighed, trying to let go of her frustration, "I was heading up to my sisters cabin before our little skirmish happened. Don't see how I'm going to make it there in the snow though."

Hope stared at her for a second. "Okay let's go."

She looked at him for a second; his eyes were so honest. Almost childish in a way.

"It's no use," She sighed," The path is covered by now and even then I wouldn't know what direction to take. After all that happened I got … turned around."

"You mean lost," Hope corrected and she immediately scoffed at the word.

After a second he stood and dusted his pants off before holding out his hand to Lightning. "Well let's go," he said with a cheery smile.

She looked at him for a second; baffled.

"Did you not just hear what I just said?" She replied bluntly, leaning away from the offered hand.

"Yeah, you said you were headed to the road to visit your sister. The only thing for miles in the direction you were heading is the wooden human thing. The tall blonde human lives there. And a young lady just moved in to it not too long ago. That's where you're headed; right?" He asked. Still keeping his hand extended for her to grab.

Lightning looked at him suspiciously before slowly nodding.

"Then I'll take you there," He stated simply; as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Lightning thought about it for a second. Was it really such a good idea to have him tag along? She never really planned to stay with him longer than she had too. In the end he would become just another nuisance. Plus she still wasn't sure if she fully trusted him; despite the innocent look in his big, tea green eyes. In the end though, did she really have a choice?

Begrudgingly she nodded in agreement. Pushing his hand back as she got up- resisting the urge to swat it away. Tying the saber back onto her belt before sticking the stone into the pocket of her thick brown pants. She brushed off her white cotton shirt before signaling she was ready to go.

Hope was down the mountain side in two bounds. His feet slipping slightly and skidding when he hit the ground below but he quickly regained his footing. Lightning however followed a little more carefully. Her furred boots slipping beneath her with every step. After a while she finally made it down in one piece. Huffing with determination she wobbled over to Hope.

"You know Lightning," He started slowly, cautiously, "If you're having trouble you can always hold onto me."

Lightning's eyes flashed, narrowing to give him a venomous look. "There's not a chance in hell," She spat back. Her pride had already been damaged enough for one day.

Hope's ears flattened in submission, making it clear he wasn't looking for another quarrel. They went on in silence for about as far as the stream. Hope leapt over it with ease. Lightning made it over … and then crashed face down into the snow on the other side; reopening the split on her lip.

She let out a soft groan of pain and frustration. On solid soil she could outmatch the boy anytime. However in the snow he had a natural advantage.

Something warm brushed her hand and she pulled her face out of the snow to see the tip of his bushy white tail. She went to snap at him but as she did his ears pulled back once again and his eyes went wide. Silently pleading with her to let him help. Biting back her pride she harshly gripped his tail. Immediately regretting the decision as he softly gasped in pain and quickly loosening her hold. After a second he sunk back onto all fours and began walking. Testing the packed snow beneath the weight of his hands before chancing going over it.

"Just step where I step," He called back to Lightning as he gently urged her on.

Slowly but surly they tramped onward through the forest. Hope swallowing a yelp on two or three occasions when Lightning tripped up and yanked his tail a little too hard.

"So what do you do?" Hope asked after a while, tired of the silence.

"What?" Lighting questioned back. Confused as to what he was asking.

"Humans usually do things called work. I think it supposed to be important. I was wondering what is your work?"

Lightning thought about this for a second, "I do a lot of things hear and there. I occasionally help the black smith and run deliveries for the shop keepers in town. Serah and I used to have a small garden they we made a little profit off of before she moved. I'm not much of a gardener so it died soon after. I guess what I do most though is work as a bouncer for the tavern. I break up fights and keep anyone from causing too much trouble. It may not be a perfect job but it pays enough. That and tend to my sheep-" Hope's ears perked up as his body shuddered and tensed at the name.

Lightning cursed herself mentally; she had said too much.

"You have sheep," Hope rumbled sweetly. His voice laced with poisoned honey as he tried to keep up an innocent façade. It was easy to see right through it.

"No," Lightning hissed.

"Awwww, why? I wouldn't hurt them if that's what your thinking. I just want to … see them," he hummed back melodiously.

It was a playful sound but it still had an edge to it she didn't like. After all, he was still a wolf. A hungry, half starved wolf. She wouldn't put it past him to sneak off with one if he thought he could get away with it. And Hope or not her prized sheep were not going to end up in his gullet.

"You are not permitted to go anywhere near my sheep! I did not hand rear each and every one of them so you could go and have an afternoon snack! If you want food find it somewhere else!" She spat.

"But Lightning-"She yanked his tail harshly making him yelp in pain and stumble a bit. Stopping him his tracks.

"Try it and there's a musket round with your name on it!" She roared and Hope cringed.

The hurt look in his eyes making her once again regret her actions. She had taken it a step to far.

With a sigh of defeat she reached up to ruffle the white fluff of hair, "And if you insist on calling my name constantly you might as well call me Light."

Hope perked up at her silent offer of friendship.

"Light," He rolled the word around on his tongue for a second before deciding that he liked it. He smiled making Light blush and look away with a fake frown on her face.

Hope began to trot through the forest once again. A little more bounce in his step than before.

His eyes practically glowing as he tried to hide the smirk.

'_Light'_

Though it may not seem like much it was a start.

He still wasn't ready to give up on those sheep though.

His stomach growled at just the thought of them. All that mutton prancing around with their little collars ringing like dinner bells.

And what kind of wolf would he be if he just passed up such a delicious feast?

**As I was reading through the other chapters I felt as if Hope and Lightning were lacking a bit personality wise. So I added in an unintended chapter (a filler) which was originally the first few paragraphs of the next one. Making it so I was able to catch a bit more of Lightning grumpy side as well as put in a little more about her. Hope is still a bit of a mystery but his time will come in an upcoming chapter.**

**Feel free to throw rotten produce at the chapter name XD**

**I just can't seem to come up with a good one.**

**By now you know the whole spelling deal.**

**R&R is appreciated.**

**Until next time then :D *hit with brick***

**Onion Knight (obviously the culprit): Liar! You said you would do a oneshot about me and Terra next! And instead I find you writing about Hope and Lightning AGAIN! How long do we have to wait, huh? Stop choosing favorites and get to work on what you promised!**

**Me: Laying on the ground and foaming at the mouth *twitch***

**(Had to try it XD) **


	5. Of Life's twists and bends

**Yeah! I finally finished. I had written this a while ago but I had to make a choice at the end (each would have lead the story in a completely different direction) and I hope I made the right one. Awful pun intended.**

**However instead of rambling on I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, alerted, and has just plain liked any of my stories. You go ppl.**

**I also wanted to take the time to give **_**scully8472**_** a big thank you for the fanart that they made for this story. I would like to dedicate this chapter to scully for doing that. **

**So in all its poorly written horror…**

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><p><strong>Never Cry Wolf, Chap.5<strong>

**Of Life's little twists and bends **

They walked onwards. Quietly chatting about simple things here and there. Nothing that was of real importance. It was mostly just to keep each other entertained. Lightning found herself willing to humor Hope by answering his questions. And in return Hope found himself helping her across the iced over land.

At one point Lightning's left foot had sunk all the way down to her hip and she nearly broke her leg. Admittedly it was Hope's fault. He had forgotten that she was both taller and heavier than him from all the smooth, hard muscle that lay just beneath the surface of her skin. So while he went over the patch of snow with ease she sunk straight down. He yelped when he heard her small gasp of surprise as she went down. And he would have scrambled away in panic if she hadn't have a firm grip on his tail- nearly yanking it off as she fell.

When Hope finally managed to gather his wits it took the better part of an hour to dig her leg out. Lightning glared at him the whole time; silently accusing him. Luckily for him she didn't give him a tongue lashing as if he were a bumbling child. Though he could tell she wanted too and for that he was immensely grateful.

After she was free they went on their way again like nothing ever happened. With Hope asking more questions and Light bluntly answering them. In the end it chalked up to be a no-harm-no-foul.

By the time they reached the cabin the sun was high in the sky. The forest opened up into a wide, ivory field with the wooden house sitting smack dab in the middle of this frozen 'winter wonder land.' Smoke from a fire was swirling out of the chimney; coloring the sky a dark grey.

On the left side of the little house lay a small pound that had been frozen over. To the right was an old chicken coop with a rusty wire fence around it that suggested it hadn't been used in many years. And a few feet away from the door lay an old tree stump. A large ax was plunged right into the middle. Neat little piles of freshly chopped wood lay at its base, powdered with snow.

As they walked up to the cabin Lightning let go of Hope's tail and stepped ahead of him. They stopped just short of the door and turned to look at each other.

It was time to say goodbye.

"Thank you for everything," Lightning started first. She looked him straight in the eye with honest sincerity.

Hope blushed at this and looked down; trying to find the right thing to say as his face became hot.

"It was nothing honestly. I should be the one thanking you. After all I am the one who caused all this mess," He replied in a low, humble tone.

"Regardless," she said firmly as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He stared up at her with an innocent look of wonder in his eyes that made her inwardly smile.

They stood like that for a while. Then Lightning glanced back at the cabin as Hope shifted to gaze back at the forest. The fireplace was light filling the wooden home with a cozy glow. For a second Lightning even tangled with the idea of inviting him in. However this wasn't her house and she wasn't sure how well Serah would take having a wolf walk through her front door.

Still…

"I guess I'll be going then," Hope decided for her. She could have sworn she heard a hint of depression in his melancholy voice.

And for some reason she felt … sad. She wanted him to stay. Over the few hours she had known Hope she'd come to accept him for who- and what- he was.

And yet at the same time she knew their strange friendship could never be.

'_Say goodbye now or it will just be harder later,' _her reasonable mind warned her like so many times before.

She nodded her head; her face as expressionless as a porcelain mask. And with that they broke. Lighting took the last few steps to the door while Hope turned and trudged back towards the trees.

But as Light began to turn the knob she felt a foreign tug inside of her. Against all better judgment she stole one last glance back at the wolf boy. For the first time she had disobeyed all that she stood by for just one final look. And then she turned back to look at her hand that had clutched itself around the doorknob.

"Hope," she called just softy enough so his sensitive ears could hear it, making him stop," Stay safe."

Through the corner of her eye she could see him smile. His tail started wagging, brushing the snow up into little puffs. Her lips curved at this. It wasn't big enough to be called a smile or even a smirk; but it was something that she could no longer hold back. And then he was gone; his white fluffy hair and pale skin blending in with the snow and making him nearly invisible even before he reached the forest. When she was sure he was no longer there she opened the door and stepped into the cabin

There was a soft gasp; and then a delighted squeal as her sister Serah charged. All Lightning could see was a blur of silky pink hair before she was wrapped into a gigantic hug.

"Claire! Oh I'm so happy to see you," Serah squeaked happily. Her sapphire eyes looked up at her older sister in joyful idolism as Lightning gave her a small smile and returned the hug.

It was one of natures many wonders. They looked so much a like and yet they were so different. Lightning was a stern, prideful woman with a stone cold exterior. Serah was a bubbly, happy person full of energy and joy. Yet at that moment you could see how deep their bonds really where. Something that went much deeper than mere blood. At that moment it was hard to tell which was which.

And then it was all ruined…

"Yo sis!" A loud booming voice bellowed out.

A big man with blond hair- covered by a black furred hat- and shinning blue eyes came from one of the rooms. The ground practically shook as he moved towards them with his arms wide open, like he was going to join in the hug.

Lightning lunged and Serah- obviously used to the situation- caught. She grabbed her sister's outstretched fist just as Snow got in range.

"Don't call me sister!" Lightning hissed.

"Don't hurt Snow," Serah pleaded. Trying to force a hint of authority into her voice but failing pitifully.

Snow just stood there baffled and oblivious to the danger right in front of him," Whoa Light, calm down. What's got you all worked up?"

"Don't call me Light," She grumbled irritably as Serah pushed her arm back to the side. Holding onto her sister's cloak for safety measures.

"W-we should go fix us some lunch," Serah stuttered, trying to defuse the instant tension, "I just baked some bread this morning and Snow stored a quarter section of beef in the snow so it would freeze. We where going to save it for a special occasion but its not everyday your sister comes to visit after a freak snow storm."

She laughed nervously as she shooed Light into the kitchen to the left before coming back to get her husband. Deliberately keeping them separate as she prepared them a meal. After about thirty minutes of silence- and glaring from Lightning- Serah set the table. Giving them each a healthy serving of bread, lightly roasted beef, and a large cup of water.

"So Claire what brings you out here?" Serah asked, more so for the sake of just starting some sort of conversation than getting the answer.

"I heard you were sick so I came to check on you," Lightning replied bluntly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she remembered she had accidentally left her basket inside the cave. Without the supplies she really had no use for it but Serah might have liked to keep it. That and woven wicker baskets where expensive.

"Thanks for your concern but you really shouldn't have," Serah said with a soft smile, "Snow took care of me. He made me some wonderful soup that knocked that cold right out of me."

At this Snow's chest puffed up with pride and he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek making her giggle.

Lightning frowned; her sister did seem to be looking well but the mere thought that it was Snow taking care of her was almost repulsive. Silently, Lightning stood up and went to the open window to scrap her leftovers- nearly the whole plate except most of the meat- onto the snow outside. For a split second she thought of Hope and wondered if this is why he knew the way to the cabin. If that was the case she would have to remember that for later.

"How did you get hear through the snow?" Serah asked. This time out of sheer curiosity.

"I set out yesterday but when I figured I wouldn't be able to make it by nightfall I found a place to settle down. Then I started up again this morning," Lightning deliberately left out Hope.

Serah gasped, "You went through a night in the forest AND braved a blizzard just to check on me? Lightning you're the bravest person I know … even if it was a very dangerous thing to do. You should never do that again," She finished with the soft scolding for her sisters reckless regard for her own safety.

Light simply nodded. It felt wrong taking the credit when she wouldn't have been able to do it without Hope. But her gut feeling was telling her to keep his existence on the down low and she wouldn't risk exposing him for something as simple as that.

"Snow," Lightning called to get his attention, "Do any wild animals ever come around to grab these scraps?"

The blonde haired man just looked at her in shock. Pondering the question that just seemingly came out of the blue. It was obvious she wasn't talking about just squirrels and raccoons.

"I guess but they only come at night. I never really see them take it besides a shadow or a flash of color on the pond as they scurry back into the forest. And on a rare occasion I see them eyeing up the cabin in the middle of the night. It's really strange though; I've never seen eyes that glow like that," He said, waving his hands around for dramatic effect.

"Like the green glow of fireflies," Lightning mumbled to herself.

Snow looked at her funny for a second, "No. It's more of a neon purple one and a yellow."

At this Light's eyes widened in shock. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. It wouldn't be logical to think that Hope was the only wolf out there. But still…

She had spent the time with him without a single care in the world as to what could be behind her. She had become too lost in her own la la land to realize that Hope wasn't the only beast in the woods.

"Hey, I just thought of something. The path is completely snowed in so I guess that means that you'll be staying with us until the spring. Not that I mind, It'll be good to spend some quality time with my sister in law," Snow laughed anxiously, desperately trying to change the subject as he went back to eating.

Little did he know that he'd just signed his own death warrant and a certain someone was more than happy to be his grim reaper.

Lightning saw red as she quietly picked a metal pan from the counter top. Her arm rising up at a slanted angle so it could come crashing down into the side of the blond man's skull. It would be quick and relatively painless; he wouldn't even know what hit him.

Then Serah was right next to Light, wrestling her frying pan back from her sister.

Unbeknownst to Snow his wife saved him from a horrible fate that day.

And Lightning had just entered her own personal hell.

She should have just stayed with Hope.

And so for the next few weeks a pattern was made between the three.

At morning they would all eat breakfast and Serah would defend Snow from Lightning's barbed insults.

Then Lightning would help Snow chop wood so they could light the fireplace- they would bring in some snow to melt for water while they were at it.

Later that day they would have lunch and Serah would protect her husbands life as Lightning secretly tried to assassinate him from behind when he said something stupid.

Afterwards Lightning would lounge on the couch in the living room and clean/sharpen her blade.

Then at dinner Lightning would help Serah with the cooking and Serah would Hold back Lightning as she lunged at Snow in a fit of furry.

After that they would all sit in the living room doing there own thing before they went to bed.

At the beginning Lightning had thought about Hope a lot. She had left scraps out in the hopes that she might see him. But he never came. Nor did she see the others that Snow had talked about. After the first week or two she began to think of the wolf less and less. Then she rarely thought of him at all.

And soon, like so many others, he was just a distant memory.

On the second month, third week, of the seventh day Light walked into the kitchen. Briefly pausing to look out the window- it had become more of a habit than anything else- before going to help Serah with the clean up after dinner. As she was grabbing the plates she couldn't help but smirk as her younger sister hummed out a merry tune. It reminded her of happier times; before Snow. She was practically glowing as she poured a bucket of heated water into the sink and prepared to rinse off the dishes …. Glowing?

Lightning dropped the plates back on the table and gave her sister another once over. It was probably just her over active imagination, right?

Serah was indeed glowing. Her skin was radiating with a warm yellowish glow like the sun. Her stomach just a little bit more pudgy than usual.

Lightning stumbled back from the table; not believing what she was seeing. Serah gave her an odd look as she shook her head and blinked before looking back. And it was still there; the tale-tell signs that …..

And they didn't even bother to tell her…

"Lightning what's wrong?"

**SHE WOULD KILL SNOW! **

With a roar of furry she stormed into the living room.

Snow was on the couch, relaxing and enjoying the heat of the fire. Oblivious as always to the danger that lay ahead. When Lighting walked in he gave her a goofy lop-sided grin.

"Hey sis whauMPHHH," came his muffled cry as Lightning's blow hooked him under the jaw and completely took him off of the couch.

Lightning huffed in anger as he lay where he landed.

"Snow!" Serah cried out franticly as she rushed to kneel at her husband's side.

"Claire, what was that for?" She yelled as she helped him sit up.

"You know damn well what that was for!" Lightning snarled back at her and glared at Snow hatefully.

"Do you really hate snow that much?" Serah whimpered, tears prickling at the corner of her eyes.

And that's when it hit her. They didn't know. And she did…

"I-you," Light stuttered. She had to tell them and fix her mistake. They had to know. They had every right to know. And yet the words wouldn't come out.

"I … I have to go," She said quickly.

Against Serah's cry of protest Lightning grabbed her canteen, cloak, and saber from the hanging rack nailed right next to the door. Throwing them on quickly she burst out the front door into the night.

She was gone before they could even get off the floor.

Stumbling in the deep snow she headed for the general direction the path would normally be. The snow was packed and thick making it much easier to walk on than the last time. Soon she was surrounded by the trees of the forest. The leaves were completely gone now from all the trees except for the pines. Replaced by a thick layer of glistening white on every branch.

It was completely dark out. If it weren't for the moon reflecting off the snow it would be pitch black. But it didn't matter. She needed to get out. Needed to get as far away as she possibly could. She needed air.

It was all Snow's fault damnit! Everything was fine before him. Or at least everything was working out. Then he barged in uninvited. He took away everything. He took away Serah.

For so long Serah had been her soul purpose. Her anchor. After their parents died she had poured everything she had into her. She had up given everything for her. She would've died for her. Every drop of love she had she'd poured into her little sister.

Now that she had left her; abandoned her.

No! Now that Snow had TAKEN her!

What should she do now? She had given everything up. Now what did she have left? What could she do now that she had nothing more to give? Nothing more to protect.

Something soft brushed against her hand, startling her.

_It was the smell of roses. _

_Yes, he remembered that smell. It was faint but it was no longer masked by sweets._

_And instinctively he knew that only one person could ever smell like that._

_Before he even realized it he was on his paws running towards the scent._

_As he began to get closer he slowed and quietly prowled out of the dead shrubbery. _

_The scar down his arm was all he needed to remember the bitter sting._

_She was not to be quarreled with._

_When he caught up he was surprised at what he found. The woman was stumbling blindly through the snow in the middle of the night. Her wobbling legs were barely keeping her up. For a second he thought she had been injured but the scented air had no trace of the coppery smell. Still something was seriously wrong._

_He needed to go to her. But there was no sense in scaring her. _

_So under the moon the white wolf stood up and became the fluffy eared boy before slinking over to his alpha- his friend- and rubbing his furry head against her hand in comfort. _

Lightning moved to grab her saber but stopped when she saw it was only Hope. His big eyes looking up at her in worry. If this were any other time she would have been happy to see him and given him a proper greeting. However all she could do was stare.

Hope leaned closer; his smaller body radiating soothing heat.

Slowly, Light reached over and sunk her hand deep into his unruly hair. Tussling it around a bit.

Then- without a word- the two set off with Lightning gently playing with his hair as they walked.

They went on like that for hours. Hope seemed to instinctively get that actions would do more than words ever could so he kept silent. Enjoying the feeling of Lightning running her fingers through his hair.

For her his calming presence had soothed her nerves a great deal. And the feeling of his soft curls in between her fingers helped all the more. And soon, all her troubles seemed to melt away.

She looked over at the boy. The moon shinned off his hair as it did to the snow. His green eyes glowed brilliantly in the dimly lit night. His tail lightly flicking against the back of her leg.

He had been there when she most needed him, twice. He had saved her from freezing cold. He had gone a step further and had made sure she had gotten to the cabin safely. And now he was watching over her as they made their way through the forest in the middle of the night. This boy had done so much for her even in the short time they had known each other. It was time she started stepping up to the plate and do something for him.

Maybe… just maybe-

Slowly but surely she felt her affections begin to shift.

The feeling was small, but it held a solid promise.

Taking its time as it came like a rolling wave.

Nothing was as soft and smooth as water; yet who could resist its power?

And like the water it was coming, threatening to wash away everything they had known, and nothing was going to stop it.

Her eyes softened as she smiled fondly down at him. A rare, genuine smile.

At this Hope seemed startled. He cocked his head in confusion.

Then gently smiled back.

And as the wolf and the woman- the two good friends- continued walking down whichever way they had chosen the sky gradually became lighter.

Dawning on the third month; a brand new day.

Both of them none the wiser as a pair of neon purple eyes watched them from the trees.

Then lips curled up in a wicked grin, revealing a set of large ivory fangs.

"So you managed to get the girl to trust you," A deep, melodious voice whispered making Hope's sensitive ears prick.

"But tread carefully boy-"the voice cut off into a mocking chuckle.

"There are things out there."

**THE END**

(Of this chapter XD)

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><p><strong>And this chap. is done. <strong>

**You know finding a good chapter name is a little bit like chopping up an onion.**

**I butcher it- nearly taking my fingers off in the process- and then it's all over but the crying. O_o**

**Oh, well.**

**In the next chap I'm most likely going to put more focus on Hope. To give his personality more of a chance to shine through and to fill out the questions left open from this chapter.**

**Truthfully though even I'm not sure where this is going so buckle up.**

**There might be a few unexpected turns.**

**And the whole fixing the spelling thing; you know the deal. **

**Reviews and suggestions are much appreciated. **

**And until next time keep a watchful eye your sheep.**


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